Elanora vs Currumbin Waters

Comparing Elanora and Currumbin Waters, QLD: Currumbin Waters is more walkable (62 vs 42); Elanora has more residents (12,539 vs 9,797); and Currumbin Waters sits further from the CBD (97.3 km vs 94.1 km).

Which one suits you?

There is no overall winner — the suburb that suits a family with school-age kids is routinely the wrong one for someone commuting into the city. So each of these answers its own question, against a checklist you can see, using the same figures in the tables below.

Families with school-age kids

Elanora

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (5 vs 2)
  • has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)

Weighs schools, house stock, crime, parks, childcare, and who already lives there.

First-home buyers

Too close to call

Nothing among the 3 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Currumbin Waters

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($468/wk vs $525/wk)

Weighs rent, rental stress, and how much is for rent.

Commuting to the city

They split

one each way, out of the 4 things we measure here

  • Elanora sits closer to the CBD (94.1 km vs 97.3 km)
  • Currumbin Waters is more walkable (62/100 vs 42/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, rail access, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

one each way, out of the 5 things we measure here

  • Elanora has more GPs (4 vs 2)
  • Currumbin Waters is more walkable (62/100 vs 42/100)

Weighs smaller dwellings, who already lives there, GPs, walkability, and crime.

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 2 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

Elanora and Currumbin Waters drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.

Elanora Currumbin Waters
Hides rows where both suburbs match

Bars start at zero. Scores, risks and rankings are drawn against their full 0–100 range; other rows are drawn in proportion to the larger of the two.

Side by side, out of 100

Risks are inverted — shown as safety and low exposure — so a longer bar always means better.

Elanora Currumbin Waters
Walkability 42 / 62
Elanora — Walkability: 42/100 Currumbin Waters — Walkability: 62/100
Safety 49 / 43
Elanora — Safety: 49/100 Currumbin Waters — Safety: 43/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Elanora — Low fire risk: 100/100 Currumbin Waters — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Elanora has more residents (12,539 vs 9,797); Elanora rents higher ($525/wk vs $468/wk).

Elanora Currumbin Waters
Population 12,539
+22% vs other
 9,797
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +3.2% +7.4%
Median age 42
same for both
Median household income $90,688/yr
+6% vs other
 $85,072/yr
Median weekly rent $525/wk
+11% vs other
 $468/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Elanora Currumbin Waters
0-4 5.6% / 5.9%
Elanora — 0-4: 5.6% Currumbin Waters — 0-4: 5.9%
5-14 13.4% / 13.3%
Elanora — 5-14: 13.4% Currumbin Waters — 5-14: 13.3%
15-19 6.4% / 6.1%
Elanora — 15-19: 6.4% Currumbin Waters — 15-19: 6.1%
20-24 5.4% / 4.9%
Elanora — 20-24: 5.4% Currumbin Waters — 20-24: 4.9%
25-34 9.5% / 9.5%
Elanora — 25-34: 9.5% Currumbin Waters — 25-34: 9.5%
35-44 13.6% / 12.6%
Elanora — 35-44: 13.6% Currumbin Waters — 35-44: 12.6%
45-54 13.9% / 14.1%
Elanora — 45-54: 13.9% Currumbin Waters — 45-54: 14.1%
55-64 11.6% / 13.0%
Elanora — 55-64: 11.6% Currumbin Waters — 55-64: 13.0%
65-74 10.8% / 10.7%
Elanora — 65-74: 10.8% Currumbin Waters — 65-74: 10.7%
75-84 7.0% / 6.6%
Elanora — 75-84: 7.0% Currumbin Waters — 75-84: 6.6%
85+ 2.9% / 3.3%
Elanora — 85+: 2.9% Currumbin Waters — 85+: 3.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (14.1%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Elanora 48.5% couple families
Elanora — Couple Families: 48.5% Elanora — Lone Person: 26.7% Elanora — One Parent Families: 19.4% Elanora — Group Household: 4.4% Elanora — Other Families: 1.0%
Currumbin Waters 45.9% couple families
Currumbin Waters — Couple Families: 45.9% Currumbin Waters — Lone Person: 30.2% Currumbin Waters — One Parent Families: 18.0% Currumbin Waters — Group Household: 4.3% Currumbin Waters — Other Families: 1.7%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Elanora 17.4% renting
Elanora — Owned Outright: 38.8% Elanora — Mortgage: 43.9% Elanora — Renting: 17.4%
Currumbin Waters 22.4% renting
Currumbin Waters — Owned Outright: 35.3% Currumbin Waters — Mortgage: 42.4% Currumbin Waters — Renting: 22.4%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

Highest non-school qualification, residents 15+, 2021 Census.

Elanora Currumbin Waters
Certificate III & IV 17.7% / 18.1%
Elanora — Certificate III & IV: 17.7% Currumbin Waters — Certificate III & IV: 18.1%
Bachelor Degree 11.6% / 10.4%
Elanora — Bachelor Degree: 11.6% Currumbin Waters — Bachelor Degree: 10.4%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.7% / 9.1%
Elanora — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.7% Currumbin Waters — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.1%
Postgraduate Degree 2.9% / 2.6%
Elanora — Postgraduate Degree: 2.9% Currumbin Waters — Postgraduate Degree: 2.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.6% / 1.7%
Elanora — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.6% Currumbin Waters — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.1%).

Where residents were born

Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents, 2021 Census. A dash means that country is not among the suburb's own eight largest.

Elanora Currumbin Waters
England 5.1% / 4.6%
Elanora — England: 5.1% Currumbin Waters — England: 4.6%
New Zealand 4.5% / 4.3%
Elanora — New Zealand: 4.5% Currumbin Waters — New Zealand: 4.3%
South Africa 1.0% / 0.6%
Elanora — South Africa: 1.0% Currumbin Waters — South Africa: 0.6%
Scotland 0.6% / 0.5%
Elanora — Scotland: 0.6% Currumbin Waters — Scotland: 0.5%
Germany 0.4% / 0.6%
Elanora — Germany: 0.4% Currumbin Waters — Germany: 0.6%
Brazil 0.4% / 0.6%
Elanora — Brazil: 0.4% Currumbin Waters — Brazil: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.1%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Elanora 78.7% houses
Elanora — Houses: 78.7% Elanora — Townhouses: 17.1% Elanora — Flats / Apartments: 4.3%
Currumbin Waters 71.3% houses
Currumbin Waters — Houses: 71.3% Currumbin Waters — Townhouses: 27.6% Currumbin Waters — Flats / Apartments: 1.1%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Elanora Currumbin Waters
Median house price $1,477,500 $1,490,000
Median unit price $860,000 $850,000
Median land price — $965,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 22 days
from 157 sales
 26 days
from 98 sales

House price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Elanora Currumbin Waters
3 bed $1.35M / $1.32M
Elanora — 3 bed: $1.35M (81 sales) Currumbin Waters — 3 bed: $1.32M (63 sales)

81 vs 63 sales

4 bed $1.53M / $1.6M
Elanora — 4 bed: $1.53M (124 sales) Currumbin Waters — 4 bed: $1.6M (76 sales)

124 vs 76 sales

5 bed $1.8M / $2.35M
Elanora — 5 bed: $1.8M (14 sales) Currumbin Waters — 5 bed: $2.35M (21 sales)

14 vs 21 sales

Development activity

Elanora Currumbin Waters
New dwellings approved 7,196
across Gold Coast
same for both
Approvals change year on year -35%
same for both

Gross rental yield

Gross — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. From median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.

Elanora Currumbin Waters
Houses 4.3%
$1,225/wk on $1.49M
 4.5%
$1,200/wk on $1.39M
Units —
same for both

Ranking within QLD

Elanora Currumbin Waters
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 64% of QLD Higher than 58% of QLD
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 85% of QLD Higher than 90% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 87% of QLD Higher than 90% of QLD
NBN connectivity Higher than 86% of QLD Higher than 80% of QLD
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 67% of QLD Higher than 76% of QLD

Liveability

Currumbin Waters is more walkable (62 vs 42).

Elanora Currumbin Waters
Grade B
same for both
Score 64/100
same for both
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 7/10
same for both

Risk profile

Elanora Currumbin Waters
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Moderate
51/100
 Moderate
57/100
Flood —
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 8
within 5 km
 6
within 5 km

Schools

Elanora Currumbin Waters
Inside the suburb 2
same for both
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 1
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 2
Gold Coast Airport Development Park - Bilinga, 6.3 km
 1
Gold Coast Airport Development Park - Bilinga, 4.4 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 1.6% 1.3%

Schools in Elanora

  • Elanora State School Government · Primary above peers
  • Elanora State High School Government · Secondary at peers

Schools in Currumbin Waters

  • St Augustine's Parish Primary School Catholic · Primary at peers
  • Currumbin Community Special School Government · Combined · Special school

Amenities in the suburb

Elanora Currumbin Waters
Supermarkets 6 1
Cafes & restaurants 9
same for both
Parks & reserves 5 2
Childcare 6 5
GPs 4 2
Pharmacies 2
same for both
Banks & Bank@Post 4 1
Fuel stations 2 3
Waterways 0 7

Mobility

Currumbin Waters sits further from the CBD (97.3 km vs 94.1 km).

Elanora Currumbin Waters
Walkability score 42/100 62/100
Distance to Brisbane 94.1 km 97.3 km
+3% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 70 min 73 min
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
 75/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 122.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
 48.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 1.2%
postcode 4221
 1.4%
postcode 4223
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 51
postcode 4221
 64
postcode 4223

How people get to work

Method of travel on census day 2021 — which fell during COVID restrictions, so working from home is inflated and every travel mode understated.

Elanora Currumbin Waters
Car (driver) 76.7% / 76.9%
Elanora — Car (driver): 76.7% Currumbin Waters — Car (driver): 76.9%
Worked from Home 15.5% / 15.4%
Elanora — Worked from Home: 15.5% Currumbin Waters — Worked from Home: 15.4%
Car (passenger) 4.4% / 4.0%
Elanora — Car (passenger): 4.4% Currumbin Waters — Car (passenger): 4.0%
Walked Only 1.0% / 1.6%
Elanora — Walked Only: 1.0% Currumbin Waters — Walked Only: 1.6%
Bicycle 0.9% / 1.5%
Elanora — Bicycle: 0.9% Currumbin Waters — Bicycle: 1.5%
Bus 1.0% / 0.4%
Elanora — Bus: 1.0% Currumbin Waters — Bus: 0.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (76.9%).

Setting

Elanora Currumbin Waters
Elevation 19 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 -1 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 3.0 km
3.1 km to a named beach
 3.3 km
3.5 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Elanora Currumbin Waters
Connectivity score 76/100 71/100
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial Fibre to the node
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 12%
5,135 premises
 28%
4,632 premises

Climate

Elanora Currumbin Waters
Annual rainfall 1,637 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 28.6°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 10.5°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Elanora Currumbin Waters
PM2.5 4.9 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 14.3 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.43 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Elanora Currumbin Waters
Average residential rate $1,298/yr
same for both
Council Gold Coast
same for both

Federal electorate

Elanora Currumbin Waters
Division McPherson
same for both
Member Leon Rebello
same for both
Party Liberal National Party of Queensland
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Elanora Currumbin Waters
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Elanora

Premium Regional Centre

Currumbin Waters

Premium Regional Centre River Townhouses

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Elanora

Elanora vs Palm Beach Elanora vs Burleigh Heads Elanora vs Tallebudgera Elanora vs Currumbin Valley

Other comparisons with Currumbin Waters

Currumbin Waters vs Palm Beach Currumbin Waters vs Tugun Currumbin Waters vs Currumbin Currumbin Waters vs Currumbin Valley
Full data on Elanora Full data on Currumbin Waters
Unlock full address-level data — $29/month

Information shown is provided as-is from Australian government and commercial data sources.
Always verify with the relevant authority before making property decisions.
See Data Sources and How We Calculate for details.

Save this page for later

We'll email you a link to this page so you can finish reading it on any device. We use your address once to send it and don't keep it.

or